Flight was northbound on a 300 degree heading from st marten to jfk. We were alerted by a sbound flight on the plane-to-plane frequency that there was WX ahead near elwood which required deviation. The other aircraft also mentioned that it took a very long time to get clearance to deviation. At 240 NM before line of thunderstorms we advised new york of the need to deviate up to 40 NM west of course between ender and elwood. We asked several times about our clearance during the 30 mins it took to reach the thunderstorms. Reaching the WX I declared an emergency and advised new york on HF and also broadcast on emergency frequency. We deviated 20 mi west of course and returned to course as soon as possible. The flight was subjected to a very hazardous situation because of the absurd amount of time required for a clearance from new york oceanic. As a further note, the en route WX information supplied to international crews is critically inadequate.

Narrative: FLT WAS NBOUND ON A 300 DEG HDG FROM ST MARTEN TO JFK. WE WERE ALERTED BY A SBOUND FLT ON THE PLANE-TO-PLANE FREQ THAT THERE WAS WX AHEAD NEAR ELWOOD WHICH REQUIRED DEV. THE OTHER ACFT ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO GET CLRNC TO DEV. AT 240 NM BEFORE LINE OF TSTMS WE ADVISED NEW YORK OF THE NEED TO DEVIATE UP TO 40 NM W OF COURSE BTWN ENDER AND ELWOOD. WE ASKED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT OUR CLRNC DURING THE 30 MINS IT TOOK TO REACH THE TSTMS. REACHING THE WX I DECLARED AN EMER AND ADVISED NEW YORK ON HF AND ALSO BROADCAST ON EMER FREQ. WE DEVIATED 20 MI W OF COURSE AND RETURNED TO COURSE ASAP. THE FLT WAS SUBJECTED TO A VERY HAZARDOUS SIT BECAUSE OF THE ABSURD AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED FOR A CLRNC FROM NEW YORK OCEANIC. AS A FURTHER NOTE, THE ENRTE WX INFO SUPPLIED TO INTL CREWS IS CRITICALLY INADEQUATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.